CONWAY, Ark. –One day after getting blanked on four hits, the Nicholls State University offense erupted, as the Colonels downed Central Arkansas by a 9-3 final, utilizing a 16-hit attack at Bear Stadium.
 
Nicholls (20-14-1, 9-8 SLC) came storming out of the gate with a three-run double by Alex Tucker in the 1st. Colonel lefthander Grant Borne served up a leadoff home run to Tyler Langley in the bottom of the inning, but did not allow another batter to reach cleanly until the fourth inning, when the Bears (18-11, 9-5 SLC) left the bases loaded.
 
In the meantime, the Colonels supported Borne with an RBI single by Darius Knight in the second and another by David Zorn in the third. Tanner Vandevere tagged on a run-scoring double in the 5th before Kyle Reese singled home a run in the sixth. Seth Stevens added an RBI fielder's choice in the two-run frame. 
 
Central Arkansas' Brandon Montalvo countered with a two-run double in the home half of the sixth, but Nicholls replied again with a Justin Holt groundout RBI in the seventh to complete the scoring.
 
Borne (3-4) registered his second straight victory. He went eight innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Marc Frazier tossed a perfect ninth.
 
UCA used six pitchers, with none lasting longer than 2 1/3 innings. Starter Brandon Hagerla (4-2) took the loss, yielding five earned runs on seven hits with a walk.
 
Justin Smith, who entered the game with just five hits on the year, led Nicholls with three hits on the day, including a double. Smith scored twice. Knight, Reese, Tucker, Vandevere, Zorn and Joey Morales each registered two hits. Zorn scored a pair of runs. 
 
Montalvo recorded a pair of UCA's seven hits.
 
With the series even at a game apiece, the Colonels go for the win on Sunday at 1 p.m. Righthander Justin Sinibaldi (6-1, 1.01 ERA) goes for Nicholls while righty Riley Echols (2-1, 2.70 ERA) counters for Central Arkansas. The game can be heard on KTIB 640 AM.